User Reviews

Strengths: amazing performance to cost ratio. lightweight. supple. pefect platform to jump and pedal. durable. ramps up and handles the big hit very well (dont forget to make sure you got the right tune for your bike). looks. I have been incredibly happy and surprised at this shock and that is after previously owning the monarch rt3 without piggyback

Weaknesses: lack of compression adjustments. does get a little bit warm on long, fast chunky descents which is supposed to deteriorate performance and make it less supple towards the end of a long run. I have not noticed decrease in performance associated with this, but that doesnt mean its not happening to some very small extent.

Bottom Line:

I LOVE this shock. It has performed amazingly and been incredibly durable without service for over a year of AM-DH use and abuse. I wrote a more in depth review of the monarch without the piggyback, and while that shock was great for me this has been much better, paired with the NS Soda it came on.

In a way, I view the weakness as a strength since it performs so amazingly well with so little adjustment options. You definitely need to make sure you get the right base tune for your bike, and if you do, the base tune will likely get you to 90-95% of perfect.

I do sometimes wish my bike had come with the rt3 version to lock out on fire road climbs, but its really fine.

I will say that Im about 186 without riding gear, and I am basically at the very end of the rebound compression with M M tune. SO if you are heavy make sure and get the High rebound tune and then whatever compression tune your frame calls for